The Gators’ leading scorer took a game off from filling the stat sheet Sunday, but their second leading scorer did that and more.
Freshman Annie Speese was involved in three goals as No. 11 Florida (12-3, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) beat Alabama (6-6-2, 1-4-1 SEC) 4-1 to cap off an undefeated four-game homestand.
The Gators tied the game at one in the 39th minute on Speese’s sixth goal of the season.
After Crimson Tide goalkeeper and Canadian national team member Justine Bernier blocked a shot from senior midfielder Lindsay Thompson, sophomore midfielder Taylor Travis ran the ball down just outside the right side of the box. She played the ball across the box through Thompson’s legs to Speese, who fired it past a diving Bernier from 8 yards out.
“It was just a very good goal,” Travis said. “When you get a rhythm like that, not many teams can stop it, and we’re fortunate enough to have good personnel that can do that.”
Speese showed her toughness in the 50th minute after a Maggie Rodgers throw-in hit her in the face and gave her a bloody nose. Rather than immediately coming out of the game, Speese played on, and in the next minute, she headed a cross that was saved by Bernier.
“The only concern I had was that the ref would call me for having blood on my jersey,” Speese said.
In the 56th minute, Crimson Tide forward Pia Rijskijk fired a shot from 40 yards out that was saved by a diving Taylor Burke, who had come into the game to replace senior goalie Brooke Chancey at the beginning of the second half.
After Alabama followed that shot with two corner kicks, Florida forward Erika Tymrak reentered the game after starting the half on the bench. It was the first game this season where the Gators scored at least three goals without Tymrak notching a point, but her presence was felt immediately as the chances began to mount with four shots in the next 10 minutes.
UF took the lead in the 71st minute when center back Kat Williamson played a long ball from the Florida defensive third all the way into its attacking third. Freshman forward Jillian Graff flicked it over Bernier’s head and into the net from 17 yards away for the first goal of her career.
“It was a great feeling,” Graff said of her first goal. “I’ve been trying to score it for a while.”
Two minutes later, an Alabama hand ball gave Florida a free kick from just outside the penalty box. Speese took the shot and buried it past Bernier in the top right corner of the net.
Speese said the ball was placed in the same place she takes free kicks from in practice.
“They had a huge wall and I knew it would be hard for her to see,” Speese said.
“I didn’t try and kill it or anything like that. I just knew that placement was all that mattered.”
Freshman Annie Speese led the Gators on Sunday with two goals and an assist in the team’s 4-1 win against Alabama at home.
